Multiple-vise mounting



May 25, 1954 I com 2,679,178

MULTIPLE-VISE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 9, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 25, 1954 ODIN 2,679,178

MULTIPLE-VISE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 9, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I [HI I'll I III I @ezzej @yv 44,

May 25, 1954 E. A. ODIN, 2,679,178

MULTIPLE-VISE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 9, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 25, 1954 E. A. ODIN 2,679,178

MULTIPLE-VISE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 9, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .izjezzej J 4 a v E? 5 Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE-VISE MOUNTING Eugene AiOdin, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 9, 1948, Serial No. 48,341

, 12 Claims. 1

The invention relates generally to clamping devices, and more particularly to a mounting structure for a pair of vises or the like.

The invention has among its objects, the production of an improved clampin device wherein a pair of adjustable clamping mechanisms may be adjustably mounted laterally with respect to each other upon a support member and angularly about their respective vertical axes, which are also adapted to be laterally adjusted, and in which the support member is angularly adjustable; and each of the clamping mechanisms is also adapted to be positioned vertically from its normal horizontal position about its vertical axis and angularly adjusted in its vertical position.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a device which is relatively simple in construction, durable, and very eflicient for the purposes intended. r

A further object of the invention is the production of such a clamping device in which the elements may, when desired, be readily locked in desired relative positions.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate lik or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of such device taken approximately on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. l I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one of the vise supporting members taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. l with a T-shaped object held therein;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with a more or less Z-shaped. object held therein;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with an angle member held in the device;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with one of the vises positioned vertically for supporting an irregularly shaped object; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the vises and object illustrated in Fig. 8.

In utilizing vise or clamping mechanisms, it is often times desirable to support the object at more than one point, as for example, where the object is or" such a shape that it cannot be satisfactorily supported by a single vise. Likewise, it is often times desirable to hold two pieces in particular relative positions, as for example where two pieces are to be secured together. By the use of the present invention such operations may be readily performed.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 through 4, the embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a pair of vises or clampin devices indicated generally by the numerals la and lb which, for the purposes of illustration, are substantially identical as to details of construction with the vise structures illustrated in my co-pending applications Serial No. 689,090 and Serial No. 689,091, filed August 8, 1946, both now abandoned. Briefly, each vise comprises a bed 2 having a stationary jaw 3 and a movable jaw 4 movable into clamping relation with the jaw 3 by a screw 5 threaded into the standard I carried by the bed 2, with the free end of the screw 6 terminating in a handle 8. The vises la and lb are mounted on respective supporting members indicated generally by the numeral 1 I, each having a mounting seat 12 thereon cooperable with either the mounting seat l3 or the mounting seat M of the respective vises, each vise and its respective supporting member being secured in operative position by a bolt l5 passing through sleeves l6 and ll positioned in a bore is in the supporting member with the bolt l5 threaded into the bed 2 of the vise. The sleeves l5 and I! are similar to those illustrated in my co-pending application Serial No. 689,091, now abandoned, the sleeve l6 having an annular flange is adjacent the head of the bolt [5, which flan e bears upon the adjacent face of the supporting member I l with the inner end of the sleeve 15 having a pair of diametrically opposed notches 20 therein (only one of which is illustrated in Fig. 2). Similarly, the sleeve H is provided with an annular flange 2i seated in a complementary recess 22 in the mounting seat I3 of the vise, and the opposite end of the sleeve is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed projections 23 (only one of which is i1- lustrated in Fig. 2), which are positioned in the notches 20 in the sleeve 16. Relative rotation between the sleeve I! and vise bed is prevented by a pin 24 secured to the bed 2 and which extends into an arcuate notch in the flange 2!. It will be noted that with this construction, the sleeves i6 and H are rigidly connected to the vise bed 2, insofar as relative rotation therebetween is concerned, and when the bolt I is tightened down, the supporting member I will be securely clamped between the annular flanges l9 and 2! of the respective sleeves and the mounting seats 52 and I3 will be firmly drawn together. However, by slightly loosening the respective bolts l5 either of the vise structures Ia and II; may be rotated relative to their respective supporting members about the axis of the respective bolt l5 and sleeves l6 and I1, and as the sleeve I6 will rotate with the vise bed there is no tendency for the bolt I5 to loosen as the vise is pivoted relative to its supporting member. The mounting seat M is constructed in the same manner as the mounting seat l2 so that by unscrewin the bolt Hi from the bed the vise may be mounted in a vertical position, with the mounting seat It located on the mounting seat l2 of the supporting member. The distance between the clamping face 3a of the jaw 3 to the face of the mounting seat hi is equal to the distance between the top surfaces of the ways 5 and the face of the mounting seat l3.

Each of the supporting members i is provided with a laterally extending body portion 25 having a pair of spaced parallel bores 26 therein extending at right angles to the bore MS, with the portions of the body portion 25 intermediate the bores 2t being hollow to form downwardly depending side walls 21, so that each supporting member H is generally rectangular in shape with the mounting seat l2 located at one end thereof. Extending through the bores 28 to the respective supporting members 5| are a pair of rods 28 which also extend through bores 29 in an intermediate member 3| positioned between the two supporting members I l, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The member 3| is provided with a pair of set screws 32 threaded therein adapted to engage the respective rods 29, whereby the latter may be rigidly locked in position relative to the member 3|, and similarly, each of the members is provided with a set screw 33 threaded into a boss 34 located at the end thereof opposite to that carrying the mounting seat l2, the set screws 33 each engageable with the rod 28 adjacent thereto, whereby the respective membersmay be rigidly secured to such red when desired... Ihe member 3| is provided with a mounting seat 35 engageable with a cooperative mounting seat 36 carried by a generally rectangularly shaped base member indicated generally by the numeral 31 which is provided with mounting holes 38 therein for securing the base member to a suitable supporting surface. The intermediate member if and base 31 are pivotally connected to one another by a bolt l5 and sleeves id l7 positioned in the bore E8 of the base-3! and constructed in the same manner as the sleeves l6 and I1. Thus, the member 3| may be rotated relative to the base 31 and locked in" any desired position. The ends of the rods 28 are each provided with a cap 39, secured thereto by any suitable means, as for example, threaded onto the ends of the rods and serve to retain the members and 3| on the rods.

It will be apparent from the above description that the vise mechanisms la and lb may be individually rotated about their respective supporting members, and that by partially backing out the set screws 32 and 33- the supporting members i and respective vise mechanisms, as well as the rods 28, may be laterally moved relative to the intermediate member3| and thus, the two vise mechanisms may be moved towards or away from one another in a plane passing through the axes of the respective rods 28. Likewise, if desired, either or both of the supporting members may be locked in position relative to the member 3| or to each other by turning down the set screws 32 or 33. The members i! are each formed with pads 21 extending downwardly from the wall 21, the bottom surfaces of the pads lying in a common plane extending parallel to the seats l2 so that if desired, the member 3| may be removed from the rods 23 by unscrewing caps as therefrom, whereby the members it may be supported by the pads 27 on a fiat supporting surface such as the bed or" a machine.

It will be noted that with this construction a definite relationship exists between the relati' e movements of the the two vise mechanisms is and H7, so that the latter may cooperate with one another to achieve the desired results.

Examples of typical applications of the present invention are illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, '"I, 8 and 9.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which irregularly shaped object may be rigidly held in position by the cooperative action of the two vise mechanisms, the article A having a rectangularly shaped head portion a and an elongated shank portion 1) extending therefrom and laterally offset with respect to the head a. Assuming that the connections between the respective vices and their supporting members is such as to just permit relative movement of the vise mechanisms with their respective supporting members and that at least one of the supporting members ii is free to move along the rods 28, it is merely necessary to lock one portion of the article in one of the Vises, as for example, the head a in the vise mechanism lb with the shank b positioned in the open jaws of the vise mechanism is and then close the jaws of the vise la, clamping the shank b in said jaws. During this operation the two vise mechanisms will pivot about their connections with their respective supporting members H and if necessary, the two support" ing members will move towards or away iro each other as required until the shank h is idly clamped between the jaws of the vise mes...- nism la. If desired, the supporting members ii may then be rigidly locked on the one rod 28 and one or both of the rods 28 locked to the intermediate member 3|. Under average operating conditions, the rods 28 may be maintained in a locked position on the intermediate member 3| and one of the supporting members i i looked to the one rod 28, leaving the other supporting member I! free to slide along the rods 28.

Fig. 6 illustrates the use of the present iii-- vention in holding a more or less Z-shaped article B having oppositely disposed offset c and d and the operations, for example. to be performed on the article B are to take place in the central cross member e, which is or a shape that it cannot be satisfactorily held in a single vise of the usual construction, and it will be apparent that if the article was supported merely by one of the flanges c or d, it may be inadequately supported for the operations to be performed thereon.

Fig. 7 illustrates the use of the present invention in supporting two halves f and g of an angle structure indicated generally by the letter C, the two halves being securely held in a definite predetermined relationship. Obviously, when so used, the supporting members and vise structures will normally be locked in the desired relative positions. f

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the use of the present invention to support an irregularlysh'aped object, indicated generally by the letter D having laterally extending portions h and 7', wherein the vise la is mounted in a vertical position, and it will be noted that the clamping face 3a of the vise la lies in the same plane as the upper 'faces of the ways 5 of the vise lb. ItWill be noted that the shape of the portions h and i of the object D are such that it could not be suitably held in the desired position by means of a single vise,

'nor could it be satisfactorily held in the vise la if the latter'were in a horizontal position. It will also be noted that the bottom surfaces of the portions h and 7' lie in a common plane and rest respectively on the ways 5 of the vise lb and face 3a of the vise la. In some applications of the present invention, it may be desirable to have both vises in a vertical position.

The examples disclosed in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, of applications of the present invention to different articles are merely illustrative, and it will be apparent from thedisclosure herein given that the present invention has many other applications, wherein the two vise mechanisms are cooperable with oneanother to produce results not obtainable from previous devices.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the scope of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact 7 form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a clamping device, the combination including a pair of clamping structures, a supportin member for each of said structures, means for rigidly supporting eachclamping structure on the respective supporting member thereof in any one of a plurality of positions about a fixed axis, an intermediate supporting member for mounting the clamping device, a pair of spaced-apart parallel rods mounted on said intermediate supporting member for axial adjustment, means for securing said rods in their adjusted position, and

each of said first mentioned supporting members having a pair of parallel bores extending therethrough for slidably supporting the same on said parallel rods. V

2, In a clamping device, the combination including a pair of clamping structures, a supporting member for each of said clamping structures, means for rigidly supporting each clamping structure on the respective supporting member thereof in any one of a plurality of angular positions about a fixed axis,and a pair of spacedapart parallel rods, each of said supporting members having a pair of parallel bores extending therethrough for slidably supporting the same on said parallel bars, and means for rigidly holding said parallel bars in spaced-apart relation and securing the same to a supporting structure.-

3. The combination set forth in claim-Ziurther characterized by means on each of saidsup'porting members co-operating with at least one of said parallel bars for locking the member in any desired set position along the length of said parallel bars.

4. Th combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said parallel bar holding and securing means comprises an intermediate member positioned between said supporting members, said intermediate member having a pair of bores extending therethrough for slidably supporting said parallel bars, a base member for said intermediate member, said base member being securable to a supporting surface, and means for rigidly supporting said intermediate member on said base member in any one of a plurality of angular positions about a fixed axis.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2 further characterized by means on each of said supporting members co-operating with at'least one of said parallel bars for locking each supporting member in any desired set position along the length of said parallel bars, and wherein said parallel bar holding and securing means comprises an intermediate member positioned between said supporting members, said intermediate member having a pair of bores extending therethrough for slidably supportin said parallel bars, a base member for said intermediate member, said base member being securable to a supporting surface, means for rigidly supporting said intermediate member on said base member in any one of a plurality of angular positions about a fixed axis, and means on said intermediate member co-operating with at least one of said parallel bars for locking the intermediate member in any desired set position along the length of said parallel bars.

6. In a clamping device, the combination including a pair of vise mechanisms, each including a vis bed and co-operating stationary and movable jaws, a pair of vise supporting members each having a mounting seat thereon, each of said vise beds having a pair of like mounting seats disposed at right angles to one another for removably mounting the same to turn on the mounting seat of the respective mounting member thereof for adjustment about an axis extending either lengthwise or transversely with respect to suchbed, means for rigidly locking a desired one of th mounting seats of each of said vise beds to the respective supporting member thereof with the vise mechanism set in any one of a plurality of angular positions about a fixed axis, a pair of spaced-apart parallel rods, each of said vise supporting members having a pair of parallel bores extending therethrough for slidably supporting said parallel bars, and means for rigidly holding said parallel bars in spaced-apart relation and securing the same to a supporting structure.

'7. In a vise mounting, the combination of a pair of vise supporting members each having a mounting seat thereon, a third member having means for supporting said supporting members for movement towards or away from one another, and a pair of vise mechanisms each including a vise bed and cooperating stationary and movable jaws, each vise bed having a pair of like mounting seats disposed at right angles to one another for removably mounting the same to turn on the mounting seat of. its respective supporting member for adjustment about an axis extending either lengthwise or transversely With respect to such bed, said last mentioned axes extending parallel to one another, and one of said mounting seats lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said stationary jaw, and the other mounting seat lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said bed, said mounting seats of each vise mechanism being equidistant from their'respective stationary jaw and bed work engaging faces.

8. In aevise-mountin rthecombination of a base membena pair of vise. supporting members eachhaving a, mounting seat thereon, an inter mediate member pivotally supported by said base member and rotatable relative thereto about a transverse -axis,. a pair of spaced parallel rods carried by said intermediate member, upon which said vise supporting members are slidably mounted, said rods lying in a plane transverse tosaid axis, and a pair of vise mechanisms each including a vise :bed and cooperating stationary and movablejaws, each vise bed having a pair of like mounting-seats disposed at right angles to one another for removably mounting the same to turn on the mounting seat of its respective supporting member for adjustment about an axis extending eitherlengthwiseor transversely with respect to such bed, said last mentioned axes extending parallel to one another and to said trans- ,verse axis, one of said mounting seats lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said stationary jaw, and the other mounting seat lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said bed, and means for rigidly locking each vise bed to its respective supporting member independently of the connection of the latter to said rods.

9. In avise mounting, the combination of a pair of vise supporting members each having a mounting seat thereon, a pair of vise mechanisms eachincluding a vise bed and cooperating stationary and movable jaws, each vise bed having :a pair of like-mounting seats disposed at right angles to one anotherforremovably mounting the same tO-tIIIIlJQD. the mounting seat of its respective supporting member for adjustment about an axis extending either lengthwise or transversely with respect-to such bed, means for taining the vise supporting members in parallel relation.

10. In a vise mounting, the combination of a base member, a pair of vise supporting members each having a mounting seat thereon, an intermediate member pivotally supported by said base member and rotatablerelativethereto-about a transverse axis, said intermediate'member having means for supporting said vise supporting members for movement towards or away from one another in a plane extending at right angles to said axis, anda pair. of vise mechanisms each including a vise bed and cooperating stationary and movable jaws, each Vise bed having a pair of like mounting seatsdisposed atright anglesto one another for removably mounting the same to turn on the mounting seat of its respective supporting member-for adjustment about an axis extending either lengthwise or transversely with respect tosuch bed, said lastv mentioned axes extending parallel to one another and to said transverse axis, one of said mounting seats lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said stationary jaw, and the other mounting seat lying in a-plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said bed and means for rigidly locking each vise bed to its respective supporting member independently of the connection of the latter to said intermediate member.

11. In a vise mounting, the combination of a pair of cooperable vise mechanisms each including a bed, a stationaryjaw adjacent one end of said bed, a movable jaw operatively related to said stationary jaw, and a pair of like mounting seats, one of said mounting seats lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said stationary jaw, and the other mounting seat lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engagingface or said bedsaid mounting seats of each vise mechanism being equidistant from their respective stationary jaw and bed work engaging faces, and means for supporting said vises in cooperable relation, said means including a mounting seat for each vise mechanism en gageable with either of the mounting seats of the respective vise mechanisms.

'12. In a vise mounting,'the combination of a pair of-cooperable vise mechanismseach including a-bed, a stationaryyjaw adjacent one end of said bed, a movable jaw operatively related to saidstationary jaw, and-a pair of like mounting seats, one of said mountingseatslying in a plane extending parallelto the work, engaging face of said stationary jaw, and the other mounting seat lying in a plane extending parallel to the work engaging face of said bed, said mounting seats of each vise mechanism being equidistant from said stationaryja-w and bed work engaging faces,

a base member, a vise-supporting-member for each'vise mechanism, having a mounting seat thereon, an'intermediate member pivotally supported by saidbasemember and rotatable relative-thereto about a transverse axis, said intermedeiatemember having means for supporting said vise supporting-members for-movement towards ,or .away 'from one another while the mounting seats thereon remain coplanar, said last mentioned mounting seats each being cooperable with either of the mounting seats on the respective vise mechanisms for supporting the latter in any of their adjusted positions.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 459,637 Lee Sept. 15, 1891 731,665 Clayton June 23, 1903 1,368,085 Womack Feb. 8, 1921 2,311,042 Ferguson Feb. 16, 1943 2,324,803 Snyder July 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 238,553 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1945 584,576 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1947 

